What does "hierarchy" mean?
A body of authoritative officials organized in nested ranks.
Hierarchy
/ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑː(ɹ).ki/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A body of authoritative officials organized in nested ranks.
- Grammar: hierarchy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: pecking order, power structure, absolute monarchy, academic structure.
- Useful contrasts: primus, equality, parity.
- Usage evidence: The hierarchy of rank has long been fixed.
How to use "hierarchy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hierarchy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hierarchy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hierarchy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pecking order" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A body of authoritative officials organized in nested ranks.
"Gay men and bisexuals were blamed for the [AIDS] epidemic for much the same reason that the church hierarchy in the Middle Ages accused Jewish people of creating bubonic plague by "poisoning the wells.""
- 2 the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body wordnet
- 3 A social, religious, economic or political system or organization in which people or groups of people are ranked with some superior to others based on their status, authority or some other trait.
"Social defeat arises in strict social hierarchies in which the few dominate the many. Overcrowding exacerbates the many ills of social defeat within these social hierarchies based on dominance."
- 4 a series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system wordnet
- 5 Any group of objects ranked so that every one but the topmost is subordinate to a specified one above it.
"... the surviving portions provide enough detail to outline its principal features: the hierarchy of beings to whom his liturgy was to be addressed (we previously considered Plethon's hierarchy of gods in our examination of his Summary[…]"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The hierarchy of rank has long been fixed."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hierarchy"?
Common synonyms include: pecking order, power structure, absolute monarchy, academic structure, administration, aedileship.
How do you use "hierarchy" in a sentence?
The hierarchy of rank has long been fixed.
How do you pronounce "hierarchy"?
Pronounced /ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑː(ɹ).ki/.
Etymology
From Middle English ierarchie, jerarchie, from Old French ierarchie, jerarchie, from Late Latin ierarchia, from Latin hierarchia, from Ancient Greek ἱεραρχία (hierarkhía, “rule of a high priest”), from ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs, “high priest”), from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “I rule”), equivalent to hiero- + -archy. The H was re-added c. 1500 due to influence from Classical Latin.